Classifications

• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B63—SHIPS OR OTHER WATERBORNE VESSELS; RELATED EQUIPMENT
  • B63B—SHIPS OR OTHER WATERBORNE VESSELS; EQUIPMENT FOR SHIPPING 
  • B63B1/00—Hydrodynamic or hydrostatic features of hulls or of hydrofoils
  • B63B1/02—Hydrodynamic or hydrostatic features of hulls or of hydrofoils deriving lift mainly from water displacement
  • B63B1/10—Hydrodynamic or hydrostatic features of hulls or of hydrofoils deriving lift mainly from water displacement with multiple hulls
  • B63B1/12—Hydrodynamic or hydrostatic features of hulls or of hydrofoils deriving lift mainly from water displacement with multiple hulls the hulls being interconnected rigidly
  • B63B1/125—Hydrodynamic or hydrostatic features of hulls or of hydrofoils deriving lift mainly from water displacement with multiple hulls the hulls being interconnected rigidly comprising more than two hulls
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B63—SHIPS OR OTHER WATERBORNE VESSELS; RELATED EQUIPMENT
  • B63H—MARINE PROPULSION OR STEERING
  • B63H9/00—Marine propulsion provided directly by wind power
  • B63H9/04—Marine propulsion provided directly by wind power using sails or like wind-catching surfaces
  • B63H9/06—Types of sail; Constructional features of sails; Arrangements thereof on vessels
  • B63H9/061—Rigid sails; Aerofoil sails
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B63—SHIPS OR OTHER WATERBORNE VESSELS; RELATED EQUIPMENT
  • B63B—SHIPS OR OTHER WATERBORNE VESSELS; EQUIPMENT FOR SHIPPING 
  • B63B1/00—Hydrodynamic or hydrostatic features of hulls or of hydrofoils
  • B63B1/02—Hydrodynamic or hydrostatic features of hulls or of hydrofoils deriving lift mainly from water displacement
  • B63B1/10—Hydrodynamic or hydrostatic features of hulls or of hydrofoils deriving lift mainly from water displacement with multiple hulls
  • B63B1/14—Hydrodynamic or hydrostatic features of hulls or of hydrofoils deriving lift mainly from water displacement with multiple hulls the hulls being interconnected resiliently or having means for actively varying hull shape or configuration
  • B63B2001/145—Hydrodynamic or hydrostatic features of hulls or of hydrofoils deriving lift mainly from water displacement with multiple hulls the hulls being interconnected resiliently or having means for actively varying hull shape or configuration having means for actively varying hull shape or configuration

Definitions

• prior art devices with which the craft of the present invention can be usefully compared and contrasted include the Amick flying o boat, the Smith self-launching glider, the Magruder sailing wing and the Mcfr tyre sailplane.
• the wind-powered air/watercraft interface craft includes a fuselage or hull with a pivoting wing and tailplane, canard or secondary tandem wing and port and starboard wing tip 5 amas, hulls, pontoons or floats of which each may have leeboards/centerboards for lateral resistance and forward or aft skegs/trim tabs/rudders, and additional sails or driving surfaces such that the wing and tail/bowplane pivot about one, two or three axes in parallel and the fuselage and leeward amas (or, in the tandem configuration, both amas) remain parallel.
• the craft of the present invention although similar in configuration to an airplane, o operates in the interface between air and water, deriving both lift and drive from the relative motion of the two media. Consequently, it has more degrees of freedom in the lifting and driving surfaces and trim controls about more axes than would be necessary were the craft operating in a single medium.
• the craft of the present invention is a coherent structure composed of lift and drive elements rather than a collection of lift and drive elements strung together with pure drag elements.
• the craft of the present invention is similar in appearance to an aircraft with a high dihedral wing.
• it may, as does the Smith self-launching glider, include an after wing with less dihedral than the forward wing.
• wings are 0 attached to the fuselage by a joint with one or more axes of rotation.
• the craft of the invention is different from the windsurfer in that the fuselage and wing tip amas pivot under the wings in a parallel disposition such that the roll moments generated by the wings about the fuselage or centerline center of lateral resistance may oppose each other but lift and drive forces complement each other in the configurations shown. .
• the craft of the present invention in various embodiments is able to roll or pivot about a horizontal longitudinal axis either through the main hull centerboard(s) and center of lateral resistance or through the CLR in the leeward ama/float depending on conditions and specific dihedral of the craft.
• the craft can rotate o about the fuselage CLR, while a craft with a 30° dihedral and maximum drive at 30° roll about the leeward ama can be trimmed to pivot about the leeward ama CLR.
• the craft of the present invention resembles the Mclntyre sailplane in either a catamaran or trimaran configuration. It is different in that the cross arms are lifting surfaces, the sails are wing sails and the hulls may have vertically as well as o laterally lifting hydrofoil appendages.
• the craft of the invention includes means for varying and/or adjusting the incidence angle of the port and starboard wings and tailplanes either together or independently relative to the horizontal plane and to the relative angle of the wind, means for varying and/or adjusting the angle of the centerline of the wing configuration relative to the centerline of the hulls, and means for varying the angle of the wing configuration relative to the vertical, and for varying the incidence angle of the tailplane relative to and independently of that of the main wing configuration.
• the craft of the invention may include articulation of any of the wing surfaces in a chordwise direction, so as to vary the surface's lift coefficient independently of its angle of incidence.
• Wings to pivot as described are mounted on an axis perpendicular the datum waterline (DWL) of the main (center) hull, a transverse spanwise axis and a longitudinal horizontal axis (which may be the fuselage itself).
• DWL datum waterline
• wings can be rotated or parallelograms of wings and amas can be skewed by a variety of means or combination of means such as: drum winches and cables, operated manually or by servo motors, or tillers, or steering gears with wheel or joystick or servo motor operation.
• wings can be trimmed about their spanwise axes by a variety of means or combination of means.
• wings may be mounted on pylons above the fuselage so as to lower the payload and center of gravity of the craft and improve its transverse stability.
• the length (height) of the pylons may be varied by mechanical means.
• the weight of the fuselage may be varied by flooding or emptying of water tanks.
• Angles of attack of vertically or horizontally lifting hydrofoil surfaces may be varied and foils may be retracted or adjusted in area or extended as the craft fuselage and/or amas are lifted clear of the water's surface.
• the angle variations are essential in enabling the wings to drive the craft as a sailing boat and provide vertical lift to allow the fuselage to fly clear of the water's surface with only minimal ama and lateral resistance in the water.
• Hydrofoils/leeboards/centerboards on the fuselage/amas may also be curved or hooked so as to provide optimum horizontal and vertical lift for the given conditions. They may also be compound foils angled or configured to generate lateral and/or vertical force as needed.
• Port and starboard wing/tailplanes/bowplanes may have dihedral angles relative to the horizontal of between 0° and 45°, but the dihedral angles of the main wing and the secondary wing/plane do not necessarily have to be the same.
• the wing dihedral angle of a given craft may be variable by mechanical means for different wind conditions.
• the craft may also be designed without the tail/bow plane or secondary wing so that balance and steering are accomplished by trim and pivoting of a single wing.
• the craft may 5 also have more than two or a multiplicity of port and starboard wing/tail/bow plane/elements.
• the wing configuration may also be used in conjunction with wheels for land sailing or ice runners instead of hulls and amas.
• the port and starboard wing spans may also have a secondary inflection point giving them a double dihedral angle with the amas mounted at those secondary inflection points. A double dihedral would limit the roll angle but might have 0 some structural benefits.
• the angle between the vertical windward span and the leeward span defines the maximum roll angle.
• the craft may have an auxiliary motor with an air propeller to facilitate free flight and or fuselage lift-off.
• the craft may be any size from a small scale model, self-tending and/or radio 5 controlled, to a payload or multiple passenger carrying version.
• the choice of materials will be determined by the size and function of the craft and vice versa. It can be built using aircraft or light weight marine construction techniques in wood, various composites or aluminum. Wings/sails may also consist of some sort of framework with a fabric skin and/or inflatable elements.
• the craft may have a gimbaled cockpit or fuselage, or the wing assembly may be mounted on a hinge or cylinder that encircles and rotates about fhe longitudinal axis of the fuselage so that the fuselage remains upright as the wings rotate from one tack to another.
• a compression strut may link the port and starboard wing tips of the craft, to help preserve the angular relationships under load, 5 and provide for varying the dihedral of the wings.
• the craft of the invention may have wings of small, 0°, or negative dihedral angle and canted, symmetrical and articulated or flexible wingsails projecting from each of the two amas and optionally connected by a central "bridge" or double pivot for rigidity.
• the wingsails are angled so that the capsizing moment produced by o the parallel driving forces is opposed by an equal righting moment developed by the vertical force vectors.
• It may also consist of a catamaran craft with amas and the above mentioned symmetrical sails but no central fuselage.
• the catamaran would be similar to the Mchityre sailplane developed by Elco Works, except that it would have aero and/or hydro lifting surfaces in addition to buoyancy and dynamic lift developed by the hulls.
• twin hulls could be fixed in relation to each other, and the rig/wingsails 5 could pivot in the same parallelogram disposition by means of the bases of the wingsails moving on tracks that would follow the locus of corners of a skewable parallelogram on the deck of the craft.
• a triangle rig may also be used as a method of propulsion for a wide beam single hull ship such as, for example, a 200,000 dwt or larger VLCC.
• the triangle configuration wing sails are mounted in tandem in a fixed (non-skewing) arrangement to the port and starboard rails or outer shell of a single hull ship.
• a platform is provided at the top of the rig for use appropriate to the ship's requirements. 5
• the opposed canted wing sails and center of effort that is very low in proportion to the length of the vessel will keep the heeling moment to a minimum.
• Narrows hi average true wind speeds of, say, 25 knots, large ships, with an operating speed range of around 15 knots, will have an apparent wind angle forward of the beam on most points of sail. Consequently, wing sails are appropriate for these vessels.
• the side force generated by the sails will be small in proportion to the opposing side force generated by the hull canoe 5 body. Consequently, the lateral plane of the flat sided hull will provide adequate side force for windward performance.
• the center of lateral plane of such a craft will vary in a manner that its precise location in relation to the rig is neither critical nor controllable, so that the adjustment of the longitudinal center of effort of the rig by skewing is not important.
• the driving (lifting) surfaces are also small in proportion to the major aerodynamic 0 drag elements on the vessel, namely the superstructure and the standing rigging. It is important, therefore, to minimize that aerodynamic drag by fairing the superstructure and streamlining the rigging.
• Platforms at the top of each of the rigs are preferably provided for mounting swiveling wind turbines and/or cranes for cargo handling.
• the platforms may also be used to 5 mount other mechanisms or structures such as control mechanisms, a crow's nest or an observation platform, for example.
• the turbines can be used to directly or indirectly power the ship's main plant and may drive underwater propellers through a flexible hydraulic drive or generate electric power transmitted to the ship by cables led inside the masts. Smaller secondary turbines aft of the primary ones can, with proper ducting, develop power from the o vortices off the tips of the wing sails.
• Figure 1 is a top plan view of a first embodiment of a wind-powered air- water interface craft constructed in accordance with the principles of the present invention, depicted while on a starboard tack heading;
• Figure 2 is a right side (i.e., starboard) elevational view thereof; o Figure 3 is a front (i.e., bow) elevation thereof;
• Figure 4 is a transverse cross-sectional view of the starboard sail wing taken on line 4-4 of Figure 2;
• Figure 5 is a transverse cross-sectional view of the port lifting wing taken on a line 5-5 of Figure 1;
• 5 Figure 6 is a schematic rear (i.e., aft) elevational view of the craft of Figures 1-5, showing a diagram for geometry of transverse rotation about the port ama;
• Figure 7 is a schematic elevational view thereof showing a diagram for geometry of transverse rotation about the center hull
• Figure 8 is a schematic aft elevational view thereof showing a diagram in which the o angle ⁇ is 0°;
• Figure 9 is a schematic aft elevational view thereof showing a diagram in which the angle ⁇ is 30° and the angle ⁇ is 30°;
• Figure 10 is a schematic aft elevational view thereof showing a diagram in which the angle ⁇ is 45° and the angle ⁇ is 0°;
• Figure 11 is a top plan view similar to Figure 1 , but of a second embodiment, providing a canard configuration;
• Figure 12 is a top plan view similar to Figure 1, but of a third embodiment, providing a tandem configuration
• Figure 13 is a schematic aft elevational view of the craft embodiment of Figure 12, in o which the aft wings are mounted on a pylon above the fuselage hull, the dihedral ⁇ 2 of the aft. wings being smaller than the dihedral ⁇ 1 of the forward wings;
• Figure 14 is a top plan view, similar to Figure 1, but of a fourth embodiment, providing a tailless configuration with amas pivoting only about an axis pe ⁇ endicular to the wing plan;
• Figure 15 is a diagrammatic aft elevational view of a fifth embodiment having 5 adjustable-length pylons
• Figure 16 is a starboard elevational view of a sixth embodiment, which is a tailless craft having an adjustable-length connection between the fuselage or payload and the wing, the fuselage or payload preferably being adjustable in weight by flooding/ballasting or pumping out/emptying tanks or compartments therein;
• Figure 17 is a starboard elevational view, similar to Figure 16, but of a seventh embodiment, which is a tailless craft with wheels for landsailing in place of amas/floats;
• Figure 18 is a starboard elevational view, similar to Figure 17, but of an eighth embodiment, which is a tailless craft with runners for ice sailing in place of wheels;
• Figure 19 is a starboard elevational view, similar to Figure 16, but of a ninth 5 embodiment, which is a tailless craft with an auxiliary motor and air propeller;
• Figure 20 is a diagrammatic top plan view showing a tenth embodiment, which is a tandem craft with a multiplicity of wing elements;
• Figure 21 is a front (i.e. bow) elevational view of the craft embodiment of Figure 14 in which the craft has a gimbaled cockpit or fuselage and a secondary inflection point and o auxiliary ama on each wings;
• Figure 22 is a front (i.e. bow) elevational view of the craft embodiment of Figure 14 in which the craft has a compression strut linking the port and starboard wing tips of the craft and a compound laterally and vertically lifting hydrofoil surface;
• Figure 23 is a front (i.e. bow) elevational view of the craft embodiment of Figure 14 5 in which the craft has angled leeboards in the fuselage;
• Figure 24 is a top plan view showing, on starboard tack, an eleventh embodiment, which is a tailless craft with horizontal wings or wings with 0° or negative dihedral and canted, symmetrical wing sails projecting from each of the two amas, and forward planing or ski type sensors for controlling the trim of the wing/cross arms and under water hydrofoils;
• Figure 25 is an aft looking diagrammatic cross-sectional view taken on line 25-25 of
• Figure 24 showing the 0° or negative dihedral and canted, symmetrical wing sails, and the relationship of forces and moments in transverse equilibrium;
• Figure 26 is a right side (i.e. starboard) elevational view of the craft of Figures 24 and 25 head to wind;
• Figure 27 is a diagrammatic plan view, similar to Figure 24, but of a twelfth embodiment, which is a tandem craft with the "triangle" rig, shown trimmed head to wind; 5 Figure 28 is an aft looking elevational view thereof;
• Figure 29 is diagrammatic starboard elevational view thereof
• Figure 30 is a top plan view, similar to Figure 27, but of a thirteenth embodiment, which is a catamaran craft with two side hulls or amas, but no central fuselage;
• Figure 31 is an aft looking cross-sectional view, similar to Figure 25, but of the o catamaran;
• Figure 32 is a top plan view of a catamaran ship with fixed twin hulls and triangle wingsails that are skewed on tracks on deck;
• Figure 33 is a top plan view of a rotating yoke pivot on the central fuselage
• Figure 34 is an aft looking cross-sectional view taken on the line 34-34 of Figure 33 s of the port side of a symmetrical yoke for a dihedral angle of ⁇ °;
• Figure 35 is a right side, i.e. starboard, sectional view of a single pivot axis wing tip
• Figure 36 is a "horizontal" section through a wing tip double pivot axis
• Figure 37 is an aft looking cross-sectional view taken on a line 37-37 of Figure 36;
• Figure 38 is an aft looking cross-sectional view taken on a line 38-38 in Figure 30 of a o mast head pivot with tangs for fore and aft guy wires for a "triangle" rig;
• Figure 39 is an aft looking cross-sectional view taken on a line 39-39 of Figure 30 of a port side mast base double pivot axis for symmetrical, canted wingsails;
• Figure 40 is a hinged yoke providing for variation of the dihedral angle of the wings
• Figure 41 is a side elevation view of an embodiment of a wind-powered air- water 5 interface craft according to the present invention, which is a single hull ship with a tandem triangle rig;
• Figure 42 is a bow or aft looking elevation of the craft shown in Figure 41 showing wind turbines mounted on platforms at the tops of the rigs;
• Figure 43 is a top plan view of the craft shown in Figure 41; and o Figure 44 is a bow elevation view of a single hull ship with a masthead platform used as a mount for a vertical axis horizontally swinging crane for loading and unloading cargo.
• a masthead platform used as a mount for a vertical axis horizontally swinging crane for loading and unloading cargo.
• the fuselage, 10, is a narrow, aerodynamically streamlined, planing hull form.
• the forward pivot axis, 12, and the aft pivot axis, 14, are pins, axles, tubes or rods, designed to withstand maximum loads developed by the wings, and set in the centerline of the upper surface of the fuselage or in the centerline of a platform mounted on the upper surface 5 of the fuselage.
• the forward yoke, 16, is mounted on the forward axis and the aft yoke, 18, is mounted on the aft axis with necessary bearings, bushings, etc. so that the yokes with aerodynamic loading on the wings can be rotated freely about the axes.
• the port (leeward) wing, 20, and the starboard (windward) wing, 22, a mirror image of the port wing, are mounted on pins, axles or spars, port, 24, and, starboard, 26, which are set into the forward o yoke in an imaginary plane through or close to the forward pivot axis and perpendicular to the "waterplane" (see definition below) of the fuselage at the same dihedral angle port and starboard, with necessary bearings so that the wings can turn on the pins or axles set in the yoke.
• the port (leeward) tailplane, 28, and the starboard windward) tailplane, 30, a mirror 5 image of the port tailplane, are mounted on pins, axles or spars, port, 32, and, starboard, 34, which are set into the aft yoke in an imaginary plane through or close to the aft pivot axis and perpendicular to the "waterplane" (see definition below) of the fuselage at the same dihedral angle port and starboard, with necessary bearings so that the tailplanes can turn on the pins or axles set in the yoke.
• the leeward or port ama/pontoon, 36 is mounted on the underside of the tip of the leeward wing element by means of a pivot axis, 40, through or close to the axis of the wing and perpendicular to the plane defined by the chord line of the wing airfoil section and the spar or wing axis.
• the ama's turning radius is in an imaginary plane parallel to the plane of the leeward wing and its centerline can be held parallel to the centerline of the fuselage by the forward and aft transverse guy wires, 44 and 46.
• the windward or starboard ama/pontoon, 38 is mounted on the underside of the tip of 5 the windward wing element by means of a pivot axis, 42, through or close to the axis of the wing and pe ⁇ endicular to the plane defined by the chord line of the wing airfoil section and the spar or wing axis.
• the ama's turning radius is in an imaginary plane parallel to the plane of the windward wing and its centerline can be held parallel to the centerline of the fuselage by the forward and aft transverse guy wires, 48 and 50.
• the amas may be identical symmetric shapes for ease of construction, or they may be asymmetric mirror image shapes for better hydrodynamic side force.
• o Servomotors/winches/tackles 60 and 62, port and starboard, mounted on the wing yoke and connected by cables/rods/lines, 64 and 66, to cranks/arms, 68 and 70, projecting pe ⁇ endicularly from the inboard upper surface of the wings, trim the port and starboard wings about their spanwise axes.
• Asymmetric or symmetric leeboards, 84 and 86, for lateral resistance, on port and starboard amas, may be fixed or may be pivoted or sliding for retraction as necessary.
• the o tandem craft embodiment in Figure 12 has two leeboards, 88, 90, 92 and 94, in each ama.
• More than two may also be used for trimming or balancing the craft.
• Any of the above mentioned leeboards/centerboards/hydrofoils may be articulated, so as to vary the effective camber of the foil, or pivoted in a vertical plane, so as to act as rudders. They may also be curved or extended with crosswise elements, so as to provide vertical hydrodynamic lift as well as lateral.
• the craft embodiment shown in bow elevation in Figure 3 has, in the fuselage, one or more symmetric centerboards 87 which also maybe fixed or retractable. 5
• the canard embodiment of the craft in Figure 11 has all the same features as the embodiment in Figure 1, except that the steering wings consist of bowplanes forward instead of tailplanes.
• the tandem embodiment of the craft in Figure 12 has the same features except that the forward and aft wings are both full span and are linked by the amas which may be as long or o longer than the fuselage.
• the amas are connected to the wing tips by double pivot axes, 96, 98, 100 and 102, so that the wings maybe trimmed independently and concurrently with the rotation of the wings.
• the embodiments of the craft in Figures 15 and 16 have the main pivot axes for the wings connected to the fuselage by fixed or adjustable-length pylons, 104 and 106, so that 5 distance between the wing span center of effort and the fuselage/ballast/payload may be varied to suit the wind strength.
• wheels, 108, fixed or retractable, on the port and starboard amas and the fuselage, in combination with or as an alternative to leeboards and centerboards, provide for a landsailing or amphibious embodiment of the craft.
• ice runners, 110, o provide for an ice sailing embodiment.
• a water propeller, 112, and/or an air propeller, 114, driven by a motor, 116, provide an option of auxiliary power either on the water or in air.
• Figure 20 shows the axis lines, 118, of the multiple wing elements and, 120 and 122, of the fuselage and amas in the multiple tandem configuration.
• Figure 21 shows the secondary inflection points, 244, and amas, 246, and a cradle or framework, 248, in which the fuselage is gimbaled so that it remains upright.
• Figure 22 shows a compression strut, 134, linking the port and starboard wing tips of the craft as well as a compound laterally and vertically lifting hydrofoil surface, 135.
• Figure 23 shows angled leeboards, 137, in the fuselage as well as the amas.
• Figure 24 shows a plan view of an eleventh embodiment of the craft of the invention.
• wings, 144 are approximately horizontal, i.e. of small, 0°, or negative dihedral angle, which provide essentially vertical lift for the pu ⁇ ose of reducing hydrodynamic drag.
• Separate canted wingsails, 146 projecting from each of the two amas, provide the driving force. Trim of port and starboard wingsails is maintained parallel by means of a rigid connecting rod, 140, between the trailing edges of the two wingsails.
• the craft also has forward ski type sensors, 142, that control the trim of the wing cross arms and the under water vertically lifting hydrofoils.
• the planform parallelogram is mechanically the same as in previously mentioned embodiments and the wingsails have similar features.
• FIG. 25 illustrates the relationship of any of the previously mentioned planforms (views taken from a plane pe ⁇ endicular to the cente ⁇ lane of the fuselage) to this eleventh embodiment. It shows the approximately horizontal wing cross arms, 144, and the canted wingsails, 146, projecting from each of the two amas. It also shows the relationship of forces and moments which will be further discussed in the section of this description on forces and moments.
• the starboard elevational view in Figure 26 shows the taper in the canted wingsails for reducing weight aloft.
• the craft is head to wind, i.e., the relative wind angle is 0°.
• the diagrammatic plan view of the tandem embodiment in Figure 27 shows how the after wingsails are set outboard of the forward sails so as to avoid downwash from them and have clear air flow.
• the horizontal wing tips, 148 may extend outboard beyond the sides of the amas to provide additional vertical lift and a wide enough base for aftertriangle rigs.
• the craft is head to wind, i.e., the relative wind angle is 0°.
• the catamaran craft of Figures 30 and 31 is similar to the Mchityre sailplane but with wingsails and trimmable, lifting, skewable crossarms linking the two hulls.
• Figure 32 shows a catamaran ship with twin fixed hulls, 150, and triangle rigs pivoting on tracks, 152, on deck.
• the ship could be a conventional catamaran or a SWATH (submerged wate ⁇ lane area twin hull) or wide beam single hull ship.
• Figure 33 shows the yoke base, 154, the wing rotation pivot pin, 156, and the wing, 158, in plan view.
• Figure 34 shows, in cross section, the same elements as Figure 33 and also the wing spar tube, 160, the wing axle, 162, and collar, 164, with clevis pin or set screw, 166.
• the wing dihedral is some angle, ⁇ , 168, between 0° and 90°.
• the "horizontal" rotation pin, 156 is at the intersection of the ship centerline, 170, and the wing axis lines, 172, through the center of pressure of the wings.
• the axle as shown only extends for part of the wing span but could extend out to and be continuous with the pivot axle at the wing tips.
• the pivot pin, 172 is at the ama axis of rotation, so that the ama rotates in a "horizontal" plane under the wing tip, 174, and in a "vertical” plane with the wing.
• the pivot pin rotates inside a bushing or compression tube, 176.
• Washers, 178 provide bearing surfaces and separate the underside of the wing from the top of the ama deck or platform, 180.
• Removable collars, 182, and clevis pins, 184 hold the pivot pin in place and provide for o easy assembly and disassembly.
• Figure 36 shows the ama axis, 186, in the "vertical” plane for rotation in the "horizontal” plane and the wing pivot axis, 188, in the "horizontal” plane for trim in the "vertical” plane.
• Figure 37 shows many of the same elements as Figures 35 and 36 in vertical cross 5 section looking aft.
• the aft looking cross section in Figure 38 shows the top portion of each of the canted symmetrical wings, 190, the spar tubes, 192, the mast head double pivot pin or bridge/axle, 194, washers or collars, 196, clevis pins, 198, the forward tang, 200, for the forward guy wire or forestay, 202, and harness, 204.
• the wingsails are trimmed about the pivot axes, 206, o which continue through the pivot pins, shown in Figure 39, at the base of the mast.
• the masthead and mast base pivot pins position the wmgsails transversely. They are held in place fore and aft by the forestay which is led to a padeye or chainplate on the bow deck of the fuselage or, in the case of a catamaran, a harness between the twin hulls.
• Figure 39 shows the mast base pivot arrangement for port side of the opposing canted 5 wingsails.
• the pivot pin, 208 is on the same axis, 206, as the upper port side of the pivot pin, 194, in Figure 38.
• the pin, 210 through an eye at the base of 208 is for transverse adjustment of the mast cant when it is stepped.
• the wingsail, 190 is positioned on the pivot pin, 208, by the washer, 218, collar, 220, and clevis pin, 222.
• the hinged centerline wing-mounting yoke in Figure 40 consists of a yoke platform, 224, mounted on the deck, 226, of the fuselage by means of the wing rotation pivot pin, 228, and a hinge pin, 230, through an eye at the base of the wing axis pivot pin, 232.
• the dihedral angle, ⁇ , 234 is varied by moving a tie rod/compression strut, 236, along the slides, 238. 5
• the basic elements of a single hull ship with tandem triangle rigs mounted to the rails or outside frames of the ship are shown in Figures 41 through 43.
• Figure 44 shows details of some of these elements.
• the single hull ship shown is a heavy displacement cargo vessel whose draft (or depth below the waterline) varies depending on the weight of the cargo at any 0 given time.
• the triangle rigs described previously, have wing sails 250 and platforms 252 mounted on and integral with the masthead double pivot pin yoke.
• the drawing shows wind turbines 254 mounted on each of the platforms.
• the turbines are mounted on supports (not shown) which allow them to swivel to face the wind.
• the swivel mounts may be of any conventional type such as an arcuate bearing or a rotatable shaft.
• the sails could be s extended higher to a narrower platform for mounting a crane, or they could be extended to the full height of the superstructure and have nothing mounted above them as in the previously described versions of the triangle rig.
• the superstructure fairing 256 is a relatively aerodynamically shaped extension of the superstructure which might or might not have an additional structural or functional pu ⁇ ose.
• the streamlined section rig backstay 258 can be o hollow to carry electric cables or hydraulic tubes.
• the other back, fore and horizontal stays 260 are also streamlined and can be hollow.
• Figure 42 shows a masthead platform mounted wind turbine 254. It also shows two secondary wing axis mounted turbines 262 that are trimmed with the wing sails so as to be in line with the wing tip vortices.
• Figure 43 shows in plan view these same secondary turbines 5 262 mounted on extensions 263 extending from the platform 252 of one of the triangle rig elements.
• a vertically pivoted, horizontally swinging crane, 264 for loading and unloading cargo is mounted on one of the masthead platforms 252.
• the crane maybe of any type appropriate for the particular type of cargo to be transported by the vessel.
• a platform 252 o which supports a crane may additionally require vertical support 266, which may preferably serve as a transmission shaft, transmitting power from the ships power plant to the crane 264.
• Operation of the Craft In the drawings, the craft of the first eight embodiments of the invention is shown sailing in dynamic equilibrium on starboard tack. The leeward side of the craft is shown as the port side and the windward side is shown as the starboard side.
• the craft is symmetrical 5 about the fuselage or ship centerline, so that, under real sailing conditions, when the craft is maneuvered from starboard onto port tack, the windward side becomes port and the leeward side becomes starboard, all the port elements become windward and correspondingly starboard elements become leeward.
• leeward elements are interchangeable with port and windward elements with starboard.
• the "datum wate ⁇ lane" of the fuselage is the plane parallel to and at the waterline of the fuselage in an "upright" condition, when the angle between the horizontal and the underside of the port wing is equal to the angle between the horizontal and the underside of the starboard wing, i.e.
• the datum wate ⁇ lane is a reference plane for the geometry of the craft, not for the geometry of sailing equilibrium 5 condition.
• the craft may fly, but not sail, in an "upright” condition.
• the "cente ⁇ lane” of the fuselage or ship is the plane through the centerline of the fuselage and pe ⁇ endicular to its wate ⁇ lane.
• the planes of the axes of the tailplanes, bowplanes and/or wings are parallel and rotate in a parallel disposition about axes defined by the line, hereinafter referred to as the o pivot axis, which is the intersection of the plane of the wing or tail/bow plane axis and the cente ⁇ lane of the fuselage.
• the planes or wings are trimmed about their spanwise axes to vary their angles of incidence to the relative wind. Effective incidence angle and/or effective camber of the wings may be further or more finely adjusted by trimming of flaps or ailerons on the trailing or leading edges of the wings. 5
• Rotation of the wings refers to rotation about the pivot axes.
• Trim of the wings refers to rotation of wings about spanwise axes or movement of hinged flaps or ailerons.
• the rotation of the wings and tail/bow planes serves two pu ⁇ oses, one, to align the leading edges of the wings so that they have maximum frontal length pe ⁇ endicular to the relative wind direction and, two, to optimize the relationship of the center of effort and the o center of lateral resistance of the craft and horizontal force balance of the craft.
• Balance and turning of the craft should be achieved by rotation through very small angles, even if there is only a single wing (i.e. no tail), and, if there is a tail/bow plane or tandem wing, turning and balance should be manageable just by varying the relative trim of the two wings.
• the forces affecting yaw of the craft are principally those on the windward wing elements or sails.
• Increasing the trim or incidence 5 angle of the after sail/wing element or rotating the entire sail wing system aft will increase the aerodynamic pressure aft and create a turning couple that will make the craft head closer to the wind and reduce the relative wind angle.
• increasing the trim of the forward sail/wing element or rotating the sail/wing system forward will increase the aerodynamic pressure forward and create a turning couple that will make craft bear away from the wind o and increase the relative wind angle.
• the craft tacks by heading into the wind until, as it turns through the eye of the wind, the leeward surface of the windward sail/wing element becomes a windward surface causing it to roll to leeward and making the previously leeward wing element the new windward sail/wing element.
• the craft jibes by bearing away from the wind until, as it turns s through dead down wind, the leeward surface of the windward sail/wing element becomes a windward surface causing it to roll to leeward and making the previously leeward wing element the new windward sail/wing element.
• the leeward wing elements While the windward wing elements provide sail driving force, the leeward wing elements provide vertical aerodynamic lift.
• the leeward vertical lift serves two pu ⁇ oses. o One, it lifts the craft partially out of the water, reducing hydrodynamic drag. Two, it can be trimmed to provide a stabilizing moment to oppose the overturning roll moment developed by the sail/wing elements. If, as the craft begins to be ove ⁇ owered by the wind, the sail/wing elements are feathered and the leeward wing elements are trimmed so as to shift the roll axis from the leeward ama to the central fuselage, the craft can lift off the water and fly/glide free 5 in the air until it loses forward momentum.
• the operation of the craft of the ninth, tenth, eleventh and twelfth embodiments, and similarly with the single hull ship version of the invention is similar to that of the first eight in that it has transverse symmetry about the centerline with regard to maneuvering through the eye of the wind.
• the craft has both wing/crossarms approximately horizontal and o two opposing (sets of) wingsails disposed in a dynamically stable transverse configuration
• Element 124, ⁇ is the leeway angle of the craft.
• 126, ⁇ is the angle of rotation of the wing about an axis pe ⁇ endicular to the datum wate ⁇ lane, 128, of the center hull.
• 130, B 0 or ⁇ is the angle between the relative wind direction and the course of the craft, h Figure 4, 132, o- h is the trim angle of wing in a horizontal plane.
• ⁇ v is the trim angle of wing in a vertical plane
• 136, d or ⁇ is the dihedral angle of the wing or angle between the wing and the datum waterline plane.
• 138, P or ⁇ is the heel angle or angle between the leeward wing spanwise axis and the LWL or load 5 waterline plane, 240.
• Trim of the leeward wing and tail/bow/tandem wing elements controls vertical lift on the craft. Trim of both windward and leeward wing elements control the roll or transverse stability of the craft.
• a schematic diagram of the basic configuration and the geometry and equations of forces and moments for transverse equilibrium is shown in Figure 6. Some o alternative configurations and/or geometries are shown in Figures 9 through 13.
• Figure 25 shows the balance of forces in transverse equilibrium for the ninth embodiment of the craft of the invention with the "triangle" rig.
• the capsizing roll moment developed by the side force on the port and starboard wingsails is opposed by a righting moment developed by the vertical forces, downward on the 5 port and upward on the starboard wingsail, each acting about an arm, 242, of length d.
• the craft in this embodiment is dynamically stable transversely.

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• 2000
  • 2000-01-10 US US09/479,872 patent/US6341571B1/en not_active Expired - Lifetime
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